


What if...?: Demonic

by Willow_River



Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: Character Study, Dark, Demons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2015-11-03
Packaged: 2018-04-29 17:46:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5136935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willow_River/pseuds/Willow_River
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I thought I'd do a little "What if" character study on Markus. Now that he's awakened his demon blood, there are so many possibilities. One mentioned the stealing of other tieflings' essences. What if Markus resorted to that? Would he become stronger? Would he be able to defend himself from his fate? Would he lose himself in the process?</p>
            </blockquote>





	What if...?: Demonic

There was a twinge of remorse when Markus found himself having to kill a fellow tiefling. Sure enough, the demon-woman had deserved to die, but he felt just a little guilty when he remembered that her soul would be sent to her progenitor demon to be devoured for all eternity. The same thing was going to happen to him someday, also. Perhaps it was fear, or perhaps sympathy, that made his heart ache just the tiniest bit. 

He stared at the corpse before him. It wasn’t something he’d ever wanted to do, not even considered to be any sort of option, but things were beginning to get desperate for him. The devils were already on his tail. He was running out of time, and he wasn’t anywhere near ready to face his demons yet. All his plans so far were half-baked and ludicrous to the point that even he wouldn’t try them.

There was a moment of stillness as he continued to watch the unmoving form. She had been a beautiful woman with full lips and silken dark hair, eyes that burned a seductive crimson, and a body that would make any man’s heart race. Her demon blood had clearly been more potent than Markus’ was. Her horns were thick and graceful, her skin tinged slightly red. Her nails more resembled claws and her teeth were sharp enough to pierce leather. There was a time when Markus might have lusted after her.

Ashe stood beside her tiefling companion, shifting uncomfortably. Markus forced himself to look away from the dead woman and over to his long-time friend.

“Markus…”

The tiefling gave the little snow-haired beauty a tired half-smile. “Ashe, don’t worry. Go on back to the inn with Gregor and Kyr and I’ll catch up with you in a bit…. I don’t really want you to see this.”

With a frown, the young woman nodded slowly and followed her friends back to where they had been lodging for the past few days. She kept looking back until she was out of sight, concern painting her features.

Markus watched her leave, then turned back to the demon-woman that lay on the ground. He grimaced. Begrudgingly, he absorbed her essence. The feelings it gave him were chaotic. All at once it felt disgusting and pleasurable, revolting and addictive, much like sticking one’s hands into mud. It coiled around and into him like a snake, his own soul drinking it up. He both wanted desperately to stop and for it to continue on forever. The mess of sensations overwhelmed the tiefling, sending him reeling once his task was complete.

He stared at his hands. They looked the same, yet somehow felt different. He clenched them a few times, experimentally, but could find nothing exactly wrong with them. 

A hand reached to his heart, which was beating far too quickly for his liking, and his tail made large sweeping motions, trying to keep him from falling over. There was a taste in his mouth; coppery, like blood. There was something in it that gave him shivers... not necessarily the bad kind.

Suddenly afraid, Markus shook his head and ran after the others.

 

The changes were slow at first. Little lapses in personality, a wicked grin where there shouldn’t be one. Ashe noticed it most, but was reluctant to bring it up. She had her own issues to deal with, so Markus wouldn’t mention it either.

Devils and tieflings alike started to flock to Markus as his power grew. It was inevitable, he’d known for a while, but he still hadn’t wanted to drag his friends into it like this. The demonic beings would show up anywhere and everywhere. While reluctant at first, Markus would absorb their essences after defeating them, in hopes that the next fight would be easier.

He didn’t notice at what point he stopped dreading the process. Or the point when he began to enjoy the feeling. Cannibalizing his own race, something he’d once thought so horrendous, now done without a second thought.

Each conquered foe made him stronger, magically and physically. Their essences were like a drug, altering his body and poisoning his mind, and he couldn’t get enough. His demonic features became more prominent, and his aura more menacing. Soon, he was eagerly awaiting his hunters’ arrivals. Hungry in anticipation of the next essence he would add to his own.

Then he started to hunt them.

Ashe went to confront Markus one day. She could see what was happening to him, and she knew she had to stop it. The young woman stood between Markus and his prey. Her sword was drawn, but hesitation betrayed itself in her eyes and she smelled strongly of fear. The tiefling brought her easily to her knees. 

Gregor, outraged by his friend’s newfound cruelty, moved to attack next. Markus toyed with him for a bit, nimbly dodging attacks with a grin. It took only one spell for the tiefling to end the boy’s existence. 

Thog tried to shoot Markus, to little effect. Kyr could only stand and watch dumbfounded at the scene before him. They were soon gone as well.

“Why, Markus?” Ashe coughed from where she lay at his feet. “Why would you do this?”

“Because I enjoy it, of course,” the tiefling grinned maliciously. His voice was deeper than it had once been. Darker.

Ashe found she could no longer recognize the man. This was no longer her friend. This was an enemy that needed to be put down, whatever the cost, because otherwise he’d destroy everything.

Ashe closed her eyes. All the energy beneath her skin coalesced, built up to the point of bursting. She knew she had to put her all into this. The others were gone now anyway. There was no reason left for her to hold back. From out of nowhere, a large stone golem appeared, swiping at Markus with its mossy hands. The white-haired young woman watched with glassy eyes from where she lay as the two battled it out.

The pair destroyed each other. The golem crumbled into nothingness as Markus fell to the ground beside Ashe. Their eyes met and, for but a moment, he regained clarity.

“Ashe… What have I done?” His words came out in wheezes as he forced them from his lips.

“I’m sorry, Markus,” Ashe whispered. “I had to stop you.”

“No… Don’t… Don’t apologize. At least… I can die as... myself. Thank-” The light faded from his eyes before he could finish the words. 

Tears slipped from Ashe’s yellow eyes before she closed them for the last time.


End file.
